Whoopi Goldberg Interested In Returning To Star Trek For Picard Series

Whoopi Goldberg is one of only a handful of people to achieve the “EGOT” (winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) and remains active to this day as co-host of the popular daytime show The View, but she still has fond memories of her time on Star Trek: The Next Generation and she may not have said goodbye to Trek entirely.

Goldberg letting the world know she is ready to return to Trek

Whoopi Goldberg was a guest on this week’s episode of David Tennant’s new podcast (yes the former Doctor Who star has a podcast). She made some news during the pod, saying she once unsuccessfully pitched the idea of being the first female Doctor for Doctor Who, but she also talked about Star Trek. After being asked about her time on The Next Generation, Goldberg told the story about how she was a fan of Star Trek: The Original Series as a young girl as it showed there was a future for women of color in the character of Uhura, something very rare for science fiction of the era. Then in the 1980s after her friend LeVar Burton told her he was to join a new Trek show, she asked him to let the producers know she was interested.

On the podcast, Goldberg recalls that because she was becoming a big star, the producers didn’t believe she was really serious until she personally called Star Trek: The Next Generation creator Gene Roddenberry. After being convinced, Roddenberry created the character of Guinan for her and she appeared in 29 episodes over five seasons as well as two of the TNG feature films. Goldberg said she was especially proud that this was the last character Roddenberry created for Star Trek. Speaking of her time on the show, she said “For me, it was one of the best gigs ever because Star Trek was to me a really meaningful show.”

Whoopi Goldberg in her last appearance as Guinan in Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)

On the podcast, Tennant suggested that with Patrick Stewart returning to Star Trek, maybe she could as well. Here is the exchange:

Tennant: You could presumably go back to Star Trek. Patrick Stewart is back at it.

Goldberg: I know, but, you know, they have not asked me.

Tennant: You need to ask them again. They would probably think you are kidding.

Goldberg: Well, I don’t know. Maybe. I will. I’ll put it out there.

Tennant: Well, this could be it. We are putting it out there.

Goldberg: All right. We are putting it out there right now.

This isn’t the first time Goldberg has expressed excitement about the upcoming Star Trek show. Two weeks ago Patrick Stewart was a guest on The View, where Goldberg introduced him as “my captain” and they talked briefly about his return to Trek before letting him plug his new movie The Kid Who Would Be King.

Guinan 2399?

The untitled Jean-Luc Picard Star Trek show is currently in pre-production with filming expected to start in Los Angeles in April. So far there have been no indications that the show will include any other characters from The Next Generation. Over the fall, a number of Stewart’s co-stars had made it known that they didn’t expect to return for the show. The series, set 20 years after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis, is described as something very different than Star Trek: The Next Generation, highly serialized and very character-driven. However, a role for Goldberg is certainly not out of the question. Picard and Guinan were shown to have a very close bond on TNG, and she could still play an important role in his life in 2399. And based on Guinan’s appearances in the past (TNG “Time’s Arrow”) and the film Star Trek: Generations, her race (El-Aurian) is known to live very long lives.

Whoopi Goldberg and Patrick Stewart on set of “The Child,” her first TNG episode

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nasty man

Guinan was killed during the end battle in Nemesis. She was in the new 10 forward when Picard rammed the enterprise into Shinzons ship, the hull was damaged and she was sucked out into the green nebula..

February 7, 2019 11:01 am

ML31

That’s as good an excuse as any. Good God, PLEASE no Guinan. We don’t need Picard’s bartender buddy showing up. Guinan did manage something that was very difficult. She managed to be more worthless than Troi. Kuddos for that feat.

February 7, 2019 11:07 am

RonSalon

Reading these comments half the time, I wonder why some of you even like Star Trek. Honestly, you read so meanly and unkind. I wonder what you’re like in real life.

Unfortunately, this site is often populated by non-Trek fans who just like to complain and don’t seem to enjoy anything about the franchise.

February 7, 2019 11:14 am

ML31

Funny Land, I feel like this site is nearly always populated with Trek fans. Even ones who like the Treks or characters I don’t. Imagine that…

February 7, 2019 1:23 pm

slider

I still get name checked over at another certain Trek site in the comments. Those guys…

Don’t worry, I reported the user. It was the least I could do (wink).

February 11, 2019 3:00 pm

A34

Very true.

February 7, 2019 4:04 pm

Mark Calcagno

While I think people act differently under the anonymity of the internet, I have to wonder what attracts people to the franchise when they hate so much of it. It also makes it so hard for new fans to join when they’re reading from fans that so much of it shouldn’t belong.

I’m sure ML31 is a nice person, just passionate about his Trek, however he defines that.

February 7, 2019 12:25 pm

A34

True

February 7, 2019 4:05 pm

Locutus

While not my favorite characters, Troi is unfairly maligned, and I think this is probably the first I’ve ever read of people disliking Guinan. I mean, really? I thought she was pretty interesting.

February 7, 2019 1:00 pm

ML31

Locutus, perhaps you don’t get out much. I have found Guinan to be not very well received and in general fans were pleased she wasn’t around much. Guinan was just a badly drawn character. Goldberg needed a better part.

February 7, 2019 1:25 pm

Mark Calcagno

I wouldn’t accuse him of not getting out much. I’ve never met anyone who disliked Guinan, and I’ve talked Trek with a decent amount of people.

February 7, 2019 1:38 pm

Tiger2

Honestly until I read this board I had no idea anyone disliked her much either. I think most people are indifferent to her (can take her or leave her) but I rarely heard of anyone hating her. She seems like a big fan favorite on other boards, certainly Reddit. I guess it just proves Trek fans are not a monolith.

There’s an irony to this comment when 2 minutes before you were defending people who like characters you don’t. Saying a person “doesn’t get out much” is effectively a way to shut down his comment. Take it down a notch ML31.

February 7, 2019 1:54 pm

ML31

Pardons. I was taken aback by the amount of negativity towards the initial comment. My biggest flaw in postings is that I tend to react to people in the same manner they react to me. I’m aware but sometimes it still gets the better of me.

I also failed to see the irony in the “get out much” comment as it does not mean everyone else dislikes the character. It means that there is a large variety of viewpoints out there (which supports that everyone is everyone’s favorite concept) and to say that it’s the first time they’ve ever heard that about Guinan I found to be limiting. Perhaps the language was too harsh then.

February 7, 2019 2:09 pm

Afterburn

I enjoyed Guinan on the show. She showed up for some really nice scenes– “Measure of a Man” where makes Picard see the real issue at play in the struggle for Data’s rights; Yesterday’s Enterprise, Best of Both Worlds, heck even the humor in “Deja Q” was well delivered. She was at her weakest when she played a full role, in “Time’s Arrow.”

My issue with her returning is that i’m not convinced Whoopi has it in her to play the character again. I think if they could CGI her to look ageless (and just as she looked in Nemesis, for example), it would be a compelling concept, should she be able to believably act the role again– to see an immortal character counseling an aging Picard at the end of his life.

But other than that? I don’t know…

February 7, 2019 2:54 pm

Tiger2

What makes you think she can’t play the character again? I mean, what exactly was it that made Guinan so different or complex? She came off like just a laid back woman. Let’s be honest, she was basically just playing herself.

February 7, 2019 3:23 pm

Afterburn

I just don’t think she can act anymore.

February 8, 2019 2:44 pm

slider

Why do you say that? Just because she’s a talk show host doesn’t mean she still can’t act right? Or something you’re not telling me?

February 11, 2019 3:02 pm

Tiger2

Based on what though?? And she still acts.

February 12, 2019 4:26 pm

Who cares

I’ve never even met a Trek fan that disliked Guinan. I’ve been a member of multiple Trek fan clubs and lived all over the US.

February 7, 2019 2:58 pm

ML31

It’s anecdotal. Conversely I’ve never met a Trek fan who liked the character. And I’ve been to multiple conventions. Not STLV, however… Yet. But I knew there had to be people who did. There are people who liked Wesley!

February 7, 2019 3:02 pm

kmart

I liked Wesley — not as much as I liked Guinan, but I liked him. Squandered potential in both cases. That’s as opposed to Troi, who got enormous opportunity throughout the run and still barely registered as functional.

February 7, 2019 4:15 pm

Who cares

Never understood the hatred of Wesley or Troi either. Not for a second.

February 7, 2019 5:53 pm

kmart

I understood what people didn’t like about Wesley, because he was written so badly, undercutting Wheaton’s talent and charm.

Whereas with Sirtis, I don’t think she even deserved to be there. Except for some comedy in FC, I don’t think I’ve bought her in any scene anywhere, in or out of Trek. (She might have been okay in TRAFFIC, but that is practically cameo-sized, I just don’t remember.)

February 7, 2019 7:05 pm

slider

There was nothing wrong with Wesley. The actor however…

February 11, 2019 3:02 pm

kmart

Guinan was in two of my spec scripts, and she generated some of the best dialog work I’ve ever done in one of those. Guinan was a helluva good character IMO, but maintaining the mystery while still dropping some hints turned into quite the pushmepullyou at times. I absolutely adored the little girl who played her in the little kids show (actually, I liked the other kids too.)

I’m not that big a fan of Goldberg, as I found GHOST to be a drag; outside of Guinan I only liked her in the season 2 ender for MOONLIGHTING, the ‘devil with a blue dress’ episode with Judd Nelson.

February 7, 2019 7:10 pm

ML31

Well… I hear it said that every character is somebody’s favorite. To be fair I found every character on TNG to be pretty dull save for Worf. I thought TNG was best when it was NOT character driven. DS9 and pretty much every show after that until STD had multiple interesting characters.

BTW… A requirement for being a fan does not mean one must love every incarnation that appears. My football team currently sucks hard. Doesn’t mean I suddenly hate them and will no longer follow them.

February 7, 2019 1:22 pm

Jeremy

Guinan & Picard were my two favorite characters in TNG. More specifically, when they were together in any scene, their dynamic caused me to often rewind and playback their exchanges. I wasn’t so much absorbing their dialogue more than I was admiring their reciprocity and deep trust with one another. Picard, the diligent no-nonsense captain never carried an ego with her and would set anything aside if she called upon him. She was his mirror and he never feared looking into it. There is simply not enough room to fit what I would like to say about Guinan and the tremendous value her character was to the show, and I could never imagine anyone other than Goldberg playing her. It’s like trying to imagine someone else playing David Bowie’s music. She was perfect for the part because I believe there is a major part of Goldberg in that character. WHY would you not have her at least make an appearance?? She was the closest person to him. I can’t imagine the show without her. For me, it’s like to trying to imagine TNG without Q.

February 7, 2019 7:40 pm

ML31

“For me, it’s like to trying to imagine TNG without Q.”

For me, TNG without Q would be an improvement.

February 8, 2019 8:02 am

Make The Federation Great Again

Said no one ever.

February 9, 2019 1:44 pm

ML31

Incorrect. I just did. And there are many who found Q as little more than comic relief.

February 11, 2019 7:05 am

JustJim

Guinan was one of my favorites, but honestly I don’t know that I trust them to keep Goldberg’s politics out of it.

The character is the exact opposite of the actress.

If they have Guinan in it I fully expect some hatred to be thrown out there. She just can’t help it these days.

That’s quite harsh.
Whoopi Goldberg was just a guest star. Not any guest star, but quite a popular actor.
I liked her and wouldn’t mind her back.

February 7, 2019 11:19 am

Tumbler

What? She was often better at counseling people than Troi.

February 7, 2019 11:20 am

FrostUK

Guinan was great!

February 7, 2019 11:30 am

ML31

Well… She was a bartender…

February 7, 2019 1:26 pm

Michael Hall

Before, I was only somewhat enthused at the thought of a Picard/Guinan reunion. Now, I”m utterly convinced it would be a great idea.

February 7, 2019 12:53 pm

Afterburn

I’m with you on this one. If it was 20 years ago, maybe. Maybe. But it doesn’t help that she’s supposed to be some 500 years old, and in between 1893 and 2368 she didn’t age a day, but 30 years later she’d suddenly become an old woman!

February 7, 2019 2:50 pm

Tumbler

Well, Spock and Sarek, while not as long-lived as Guinan, suddenly became old men in the movies.

So I can accept old Guinan, too. Whoopi is a delight in the role. Just like Leonard Nimoy and Mark Lenard were in theirs.

February 7, 2019 3:39 pm

Michael Hall

They can do wonders with makeup and CGI these days, especially if it’s just a one-off appearance.

February 7, 2019 3:43 pm

Tumbler

Yeah, sure. But the long-lived half-Vulcan Spock just coincidently aged at the same rate as Kirk and McCoy during those years! How about that.

Didn’t matter to me then. Doesn’t matter to me now.

February 7, 2019 4:00 pm

Tiger2

Exactly! Spock was suppose to be around the same age as Kirk at the time. Yeah maybe a bit older but like a decade, not 50 years older and oddly he aged about the same as Kirk did (although Nimoy stayed in better shape ;)).

I understand when it comes to someone like Data or Q (who can literally be anything he wants and doesn’t actually die) its a bit trickier, but with normal people you shouldn’t over think it since we don’t actually know how aging works with most aliens. Its not like she NEVER aged. She was a kid at some point, right? So for me, I don’t think it matters she looks a bit older since she is suppose to be pretty old anyway.

And look at Soran, remember that guy? How old was he suppose to be in Generations? Maybe he was suppose to be much older than Guinan but it proves El Aurians can eventually look old too, which torpedoes the idea they can never look older. This is much ado about nothing.

February 7, 2019 4:46 pm

Afterburn

Sorry, it worked for me for Spock and Sarek, who were aged up with make up for TNG. Won’t buy it for Guinan.

February 8, 2019 2:47 pm

Chris

Yeah, it’s a FICTION show for heaven’s sake. People might make fun of it – like the whole “it’s the 24th century and they haven’t cured baldness” joke. Which Roddenberry supposedly retorted “in the 24th century they won’t care”.

Spiner has supposedly said he wouldn’t return (long before this show was even rumored), but I wouldn’t care about that either. Hopefully the story lines would make you forget.

I mean they had practically the whole bridge crew of the TOS piloting the flagship in retirement age – James Doohan was 71 when he played in “Generations”.

The three main actors were brought back for the Star Wars sequels.

TV shows movies require a suspension of disbelief – I don’t think this is a big one.

Personally I don’t think she looks like she’s aged to the point where it is any worse than any of the above, regardless of her species. I know she wasn’t technically human, but she looked human enough (really a;l they did was give her a funny outfit).

Time’s Arrow was one of my favorite episode and I thought she did splendidly.

February 13, 2019 8:07 pm

slider

She doesn’t look THAT bad now.

February 11, 2019 3:03 pm

A34

Her and Picard ended up getting married.

February 7, 2019 4:04 pm

Christian Eberle

Are you kidding me? She was the more competent psychologist and so much more useful than Troi.

February 9, 2019 4:16 am

ML31

Twice nothing is still nothing.

February 11, 2019 7:05 am

Tiger2

“Guinan was killed during the end battle in Nemesis. She was in the new 10 forward when Picard rammed the enterprise into Shinzons ship, the hull was damaged and she was sucked out into the green nebula.”

I’m sorry but unless there is some canon that says she was actually in 10 forward at the time, that is speculation at best. And do you honestly think Picard would ram a ship like that and not have people in those areas evacuated?? Not a very Picard thing to do.

February 7, 2019 1:40 pm

ML31

To be fair, I thought that leaving Ru’ofo to die on the assembly while Picard and only Picard beamed out was a very un-Picard-like thing to do.

February 7, 2019 2:16 pm

Tiger2

Yeah OK, but that guy was still a bad guy. And didn’t someone else beam him up? He didn’t have a say from what I can remember, he just didn’t care lol. And Picard is not going to let innocent people on his ship die like that, certainly not one of his best friends. It just seems nuts people would think Picard would ram his ship into another like that knowing people were in those areas. My guess is all the non-essential areas like 10 forward are immediately evacuated whenever they get into a ship battle but that’s just my head canon.

February 7, 2019 2:37 pm

ML31

True but leaving the bad guy to a fiery death when it was totally within his power to save him so he could stand trial still feels wrong to me. And it is a good point regarding the ramming. He never issued an evacuation order unless he just decided everyone on the ship was going to die at that point anyway. Or one could just say he did but it was during one of the Scimitar cutaways if that helps reconcile it.

February 7, 2019 2:51 pm

Tiger2

I’m guessing there are evacuation procedures in place when an actual attack or red alert is called. I just can’t imagine him killing people like that. And wouldn’t that be illegal if he purposely committed an action that would kill people without any warning? I always assumed he didn’t call for an evacuation because they already were. It just seems crazy to me to even think it.

As for Guinan we never even saw her on the ship, its weird to even suggest she or anyone was in 10 forward at the time. Of course they CAN say that but there is zero evidence she was even there. We saw her at the wedding of course but nothing beyond that. And we know how this works, unless we see someone actually die on screen or outright told they died, then it doesn’t matter anyway.

As for Ru’ofo death I don’t really disagree but I just don’t think anyone wrung their hands over it when he was trying to kill literally everyone on the planet.

February 7, 2019 3:34 pm

ML31

Who knows if the Enterprise E even had a bar for her to work in? It very much looked like Star Fleet came to their senses and abolished the idea of civilians permanently on board their Star Ships for that, Sovereign Class was it?

I’m sure no one wrung their hands about Ru’ofo. Given the evidence he likely would have been incarcerated (no death penalty in the Federation save for Talos IV). But this was Picard and/or Riker acting as judge, jury AND executioner. Something they always liked to claim they were above. I watched that film and that was the first thing that went through my head at that very moment. “Holy crap! They left him to DIE!” There are a lot of TNG folks out there. Is there another instance where Picard left the baddie to die when it was 100% within his power to bring him to justice?

In the feature films, the bad guys often die. But this was the only instance where it wasn’t an accidental death or there was no way to get him.

February 8, 2019 8:13 am

Who cares

@ML31

You are forgetting Kruge, kicked in the face until he fell a vast distance into a lava flow.

February 8, 2019 9:57 am

ML31

That was self preservation. Kirk tried to save Kruge first, if you recall. Kruge reacted by trying to take Kirk to Sto’vo’kor with him.

February 8, 2019 10:01 am

Who cares

Yes it was self defense but it was neither an accident nor “no way to get him”. Kirk could have gome for the knockout before the cliff even became an issue. Also, Prime Khan’s death was suicide, Kelvin Khan lived, Nero could have been rescued from the Narada (and in my opinion savung him after he rejected help would have been better revenge), Sybock sacrificed himself, Krall ended like Kruge, V’Ger became something more, the whale probe went home, in fact the only Trek film villains that fall under “couldn’t get to them” are the Duras sisters and General Chang.

February 8, 2019 11:31 am

ML31

Pretty sure Kirk was mainly trying to get hell off the rock. And trying to go for the “knock out blow” before the cliff became a factor. Yep, Khan was suicide and it made sense to leave rather than stick around and jeopardize the crew (even though David suggested they weren’t gonna make it) in an attempt to stop Khan’s suicide. You are correct that Nero may well have been able to be rescued. Kirk did offer assistance. But when it was refused I’m a bit surprised the fired on the ship rather than just let the singularity take it. Perhaps he was concerned with potential further time line changes? But since you want to make a thing out of it, let’s go down the list.

TMP. No real “bad guy” in this one.
WoK: Suicide with no way to stop him.
SFS: Covered. Kirk offered assistance.
TVH: No real ‘Bad guy’ (apart from the film’s writers)
TFF: I guess ‘God’? Killed before he could kill our protagonist. No way to save the thing.
TUC: Another ‘kill or be killed’ situation. No way to save him.
Gen: Picard opted for Soren’s death over the destruction of a civilization.
FC: Kill or be assimilated.
Ins: Could have easily saved Ru’ofo. Opted not to.
Nem: Kill or be killed. Again, no other way out.
ST: Offered assistance. It was denied.
STID: Khan not killed. Returned to stasis.
STB: Suicide.

Seems only Ru’ofo was able to be saved without consequences.

February 8, 2019 1:30 pm

Who cares

The energy being in ST5 was not God ever, this is flatly stated in the film, and he remained in his prison, and was not killed in any way, the film’s secondary villain Sybock, sacrificed himself for his brother. Soren’s death is on his own head, no one else’s, Picard most certainly did not make him run over to the sabotaged missile, the secondary villains the Duras sisters finally got what had been coming to them for some time. Krall did not suicide in Beyond, Kirk kicked him into his bioweapon and blew him out into space.

February 8, 2019 2:05 pm

ML31

(sigh) I put ‘ on either end of God signifying essentially ‘for lack of a better term’. And it’s beside the point anyway. It certainly looked like he was blown away by Klingon disrupters to the audience. But whatever. Sybok wasn’t a villian. Picard closed the clamps knowing full well that if Soren launched the weapon it would explode. And didn’t warn him. The Duras sisters were hardly the villains of the piece. Krall desperately tried to disperse the weapon and was killed for it. Kirk just opened up the vent to release it into space. Krall getting sucked out with was merely a side effect. Essentially, Krall committed suicide as he knew it was certain death.

February 8, 2019 3:14 pm

Who cares

None of that is correct. First, the face of the energy being was seen from orbit after the Klingon ship fired on it, he was screaming, so no there was no indication whatsoever that it was dead. Neither Picard nor anyone else is required to warn someone trying to kill them that their actions may cause their death. Lastly you should really watch Beyond cause that is not how that scene went down, Krall ended up in the weapon because Kirk kicked him toward it. Where do you get all this bass ackwards stuff?

February 8, 2019 3:24 pm

Thomas

Oh, slap a red shirt on the baddie and push him out of the airlock already. sheesh.

February 8, 2019 4:19 pm

ML31

That ‘God’ thing was absolutely gone. The cries were gone. It was blasted to oblivion. Take another look. You will see. Not saying Picard was required to warn Soren. Just saying he didn’t. Just like Riker wasn’t “required” to beam out Ru’ofo either. He just didn’t. I will double check the ending of Beyond. If Kirk did give Krall a shove out the airlock then it was a “kill or be killed” situation. Which still qualifies here.

February 11, 2019 7:10 am

skyjedi

Shatner intended for him to be the biblical Devil. Not God. Roddenberry convinced him to make the villain an evil alien. The planet is hell, the devil is bound in his prison and needs the Enterprise to escape. No wonder Roddenberry hated it. It is a terrible Star Trek story.

February 13, 2019 2:40 am

slider

What a way to die. In front of a blue screen. Ahahaha!

February 11, 2019 3:04 pm

DataMat

The Enterprise was near to Earth as well so maybe Guinan beamed aboard just for the wedding.
Was the wedding on holodeck?

February 7, 2019 2:53 pm

ML31

It was my understanding that the wedding was somewhere in Alaska. Not onboard ship.

Yes.. but.. she also existed in the Nexus and Like Kirk.. lived to advise Picard another day.

February 8, 2019 3:59 pm

slider

Nah, she heard some gossip that was going to happen and dived for cover out the room.

February 11, 2019 2:59 pm

odradek

She looks too old to play the part anyway.

February 7, 2019 11:11 am

RonSalon

Yeah, Picard is so youthful looking. Ageist much?

February 7, 2019 11:14 am

odradek

No, Picard is a human. Guinian is a nearly immortal alien who did not show any aging for centuries. Why is it ok to mention the age issue concerning Q or Data but not Guinian?

February 7, 2019 11:26 am

HubcapDave

I was thinking the same thing.

February 7, 2019 1:00 pm

Afterburn

Agreed . That said, if she shows up in just a handful of scenes, maybe they digitally de-age her…

February 7, 2019 2:56 pm

Mel

I totally see the problem for Guinan. She should really not suddenly age so much. Of course they could come up with some reason for it, like saying she is close to death so finally the aging process started. But I don’t know. It would take something away which makes her special.

I really don’t see any problems with Q though. He could look whatever way he likes be it like old John de Lancie or like a younger male or female actor. I am fine with all. If the only way to have him around is too recast the actor, I am all for it.

Data is dead and should stay this way. No need to bring him back from the dead.

Personally I thought that most TNG characters were not particular special. I am all for Q being back as he is my favorite TNG character and Picard will be back of course, too. But I don’t have to see all of the other TNG characters in the series. If they bring back Riker, Troi, Worf, etc., I am fine with it. If they decide against using them again, it would be fine for me, too. I assume they will introduce tons of new characters and hopefully a lot of them will be engaging.

February 8, 2019 6:46 am

slider

She is not immortal. She is not Q.

February 11, 2019 3:04 pm

alastair87

The problem is more that Picard is meant to be old for a human. Whereas Guinan’s species are supposed to have an elongated life span over centuries and last time we saw her she was in very early middle age. She has of course in reality aged at much the same rate as Patrick Stewart, which wouldn’t make sense if you were going to be a stickler for such things.

Not that I think that should necessarily be a concern. They didn’t have a problem ignoring the fact that Brent Spiner clearly looked different by the end of his time as Data compared to the start.

February 7, 2019 12:34 pm

RikersMailbox

Ageist? Dude, it’s the same reason why bringing back Q would be difficult; Although Q could simply appear as he did 25 years ago in one shot, and then snap his fingers and make himself look old to antagonize Picard. Guinan would be more difficult to explain, but they could pull it off.

How can she look too old when she was literally around during the time of Mark Twain???? Of any character ever in Trek it’s ok for her to look older during this era of the franchise. Her race lives for a long time, but they’re not immortal.

February 7, 2019 1:36 pm

Afterburn

“Guinan, you’ve looked 35 for centuries, but suddenly became elderly, what happened?”

February 7, 2019 2:58 pm

Andrew SD

Whoopie looks amazing! She looks and acts very youthful. You couldn’t be more wrong about this.

February 7, 2019 3:34 pm

skyjedi

But Soran who was supposedly the same race El aurian and played by an Old Malcolm McDowell was just fine.

I’ll play Guinan! It’ll be interesting to see me CGI’d as something other then a middle aged white male

February 7, 2019 5:52 pm

Drew

I like Whoopi, but noooooooooooooooooooo.

February 7, 2019 12:21 pm

Danpaine

Personally, I’d like some insight into her backstory, what her species is like. Nothing episodes-long, just a look.

February 7, 2019 12:53 pm

Ashley

I think she should be included somewhere in the series, but I actually hope they don’t get too into that stuff. They should focus on Picard and Guinan’s friendship more than anything. It works better when her character is mysterious.

February 7, 2019 8:48 pm

Tiger2

I would love to see Guinan back. I have no issue with that at all. I’m shocked so many hate her here. I always thought she was a pretty popular character for someone who showed up pretty sporadically. Not like Garek or Q popular but at least accepted in the fanbase.

But it is odd how different boards can be because on Reddit (where I originally saw this news) they are mostly down right giddy over the idea of bringing her back.

February 7, 2019 1:37 pm

Danpaine

As someone said above, I thought she gave better counsel than Troi did, and was a grounding element in every episode she was in. Yeah, go figure a lot of folks can’t stand her, I thought she enhanced TNG. And I always wanted to know just what event she and Picard went through to make him trust her so implicitly.

February 7, 2019 1:43 pm

Tiger2

Me too. I’m honestly shocked so many people here didn’t like her (but then again, its like a dozen people commenting so far lol). As I said I’m sure most people are indifferent to her which means they don’t really care either way. I mean I wouldn’t actually care if we don’t see her but I always liked her when she was on. And I liked how mysterious they kept her all those years. We learned a few things about her but they never did a ‘Guinan’ story which they could’ve done but I think they wanted to keep her background in the dark on purpose. But I think it would be nice to have them shed some more light on her and Picard. We don’t know who, if any, characters from TNG we will see yet but I’m sure she is being considered for at least a cameo at some point.

As far as the aging thing, people are right but its not like she wasn’t already aging on the show. Look at those pics TM posted between her first appearance on the show and her last in Nemesis. She already looked a bit different, its just not a drastic one since its been 16 years after Nemesis. And she doesn’t look THAT different today outside of some weight gain.

February 7, 2019 2:46 pm

Andrew SD

I’m with you! I loved loved loved her. There are a lot a haters on this board but clearly this Oscar winning actor was one of the reasons TNG was so amazing. The mystery and power that surrounded Guinan was delicious. The wisdom of Guinan is something this world right now needs way more of.

February 7, 2019 3:52 pm

Gary 8.5

Consider me a member of the Bring Back Guinan Club!

February 10, 2019 12:25 pm

slider

I always wondered what would happen if Whoopi married Peter Cushing.

February 11, 2019 3:05 pm

khambattafan

I hear the in-demand Lee Arenberg is champing at the bit to return as the dastardly DaiMon Bok, but as a Bok that is nothing like you remember, an utterly transformed Bok.

February 7, 2019 2:28 pm

Legate Damar

I hope she comes back. It would be interesting to learn more about her relationship with Picard.

February 7, 2019 2:48 pm

Commander K

Guinan is the only trek character I would bring back from tng

February 7, 2019 3:29 pm

Andrew SD

I’d love to see Whoopie back. Everytime she was on TNG she was a treat! Guinan was such a nuanced character. You could tell there was so much more brewing under the surface. An understanding of time and space that she either could not, would not or should not share. Possibly even the power to repel the Q. I’d love to see her show up again just as the universe throws Picard a curveball.

February 7, 2019 3:43 pm

A34

She also wanted to be Doctor Who.

February 7, 2019 4:03 pm

Harry Ballz

tae Whoopie Goldberg? NO!!!!!!!!
She stinks up the place wherever she shows up! It’s a joke she won the Oscar for her “performance” in Ghost. Goldberg is mediocre at best!

February 7, 2019 4:08 pm

Tumbler

Easy to forget now how big a “get” Whoopi was for Star Trek back then. I mean, I remember being impressed seeing her on this syndicated show that ran after the news on weekends. She was more or less a movie star (back when that still meant something) and a big name on the standup comedy circuit. Glad her fandom got her the role, and I hope she gets at least a cameo in the Picard show.

February 7, 2019 4:16 pm

Tiger2

The thing is lots of movie stars wanted to be on the show in terms of an appearance. People from Tom Hanks to Robin Williams showed interest in being on it and they even wrote a part for Williams. It sounded like most didn’t work out due to money or schedule however (which happened in William’s case). But I think Whoopi was one of the few who wanted an actual role on it and not just as a guest star in an episode. That’s what made it more of a big deal at the time, especially when movie stars didn’t ‘do’ TV. That’s clearly different today when you have people like Michelle Yeoh now part of Star Trek. But at the time you’re right it was a big deal.

February 7, 2019 4:36 pm

Tumbler

Right, Robin Williams was going to play the time-traveling conman, wasn’t he?

February 7, 2019 5:41 pm

Who cares

Berlinghoff Rasmussen? Would have been neat to have Robin Williams play him.

February 7, 2019 5:58 pm

Tumbler

Yeah, that’s the guy. I think Williams was going to play him but had to back out to do something else. Hook maybe?

February 7, 2019 6:18 pm

AJinMoscow

There are a few key molders of Picard’s life that should be considered for the new series: Guinan, Q, Borg Queen, Crusher(s), Riker, Data, and Worf among them. Guinan was ‘closer than family’ for a reason we never learned about, so therein lies a potential story.

February 7, 2019 9:41 pm

Thomas

Perhaps we can finally find out what “an Imp ” is and why that defensive posture she aimed at Q made him recoil. Of course Guinan would still be around.. only way she wouldn’t be is if the character was dead. Then her spirit would be ever presnt like Obi-wan
Looks like Q will also have to be involved. John DeLanci might be a little fatter but he can pull it off.

February 8, 2019 3:57 pm

Tumbler

An “imp” is an old word for a troublemaker. Could be a species in Star Trek land, but I think it was meant as an insult.

February 9, 2019 12:49 pm

raffie

Please, don’t go down that route. Leave it and move on.

February 9, 2019 8:17 am

Evelyn Stiefel

Go Whoopi!
We love you!
You belong on the the Enterprise, in Ten Forward, or anywhere else!
” Live long and prosper”

February 9, 2019 10:07 am

Allenburch

I think the universe has plenty enough room for all of these great explorers, Whoopi, Cromwell, Picardo, even Wheaton.

February 9, 2019 2:32 pm

slider

They’d bring back Guinan first before the rest of the crew? With the current producers I wouldn’t be surprised if they brought back friggin Spot before the rest of the crew.

February 11, 2019 2:58 pm

skyjedi

I liked her in Generations, Yesterday’s Enterprise and Time’s Arrow. And Generations was kind of a rubbish film after an excellent All Good Things…